Unexpected Friends
by cheerleader2006
Summary: This story starts with Kirsten's line from the promo for Season 3 and then goes back into her rehab experience.
1. Chapter 1

"I'm an alcoholic and I'm not going back to my husband and my boys until I know that I'll never let them down again." Kirsten told Charlotte.

_Well I guess its better that I'm finally admitting it._

FLASHBACK

When Kirsten first met Charlotte, she had just been shipped off as Kirsten liked to tell people. She felt like her family sent her there because they didn't want to have to deal with her "problem". Kirsten still wouldn't admit that she was an alcoholic.

Kirsten was sitting in the cafe by herself, she didn't like to get involved with others. The sooner she got done with the whole rehab thing, the sooner she could go home. She was afraid that interacting with others would make it so much more real.

"Hi! I'm Charlotte." she said sitting down.

"Hi. I'm Kirsten."

"Lemme guess, Alcoholic. Shipped off by your family and you don't think you have a problem."

"Um... how did you know?"

"You certainly don't look like your hear to beat your drug addiction." said Charlotte laughing. Kirsten didn't laugh. "Sorry when you've been hear as long as I have you start to be able to tell these things."

"How long have you been here?" asked Kirsten

"Three months. I know what your thinking. You don't want to make friends because it will make this thing more real, but I'm here if you ever want to talk. Bye." said Charlotte as she got up to leave.

After Charlotte got up and left Kirsten sat back in her chair. _She's the first person that's acknowledged me here. Maybe one friend won't hurt._ Kirsten got up from her chair and walked out into the garden.

"I was wondering how long before you decided you wanted to talk." Charlotte said from one of the benches.

"Well I deciede what's one friend going to hurt."

"So where are you from?"

"Newport Beach. How about you?"

"San Diego."

A week later Kirsten and Charlotte were inseperable. Kirsten was finally happy that she had someone to talk to.


	2. Chapter 2

Ok I totally forgot about the disclamers.. I don't own anyone from the OC.. sorry

This is co-written by Ally :)

"So tell me more about your husband Sandy." said Charlotte as they were walking around the garden after one of their group meetings.

"We've had our share of problems this past year but he's supportive. He tries hard." said Kirsten.

"It seems like he really loves you."

"Yeah he does. That love was questioned quite a bit though."

"What happened?"

"Well its a long story really."

"We've got time." said Charlotte as she chuckled.

Kirsten laughed and then became serious as she started to tell Charlotte everything that was wrong with her marriage to Sandy. Starting from when the boys ran away, to the whole thing with her dad, to Rebecca showing up again, Carter, and then ending with her dad's death which sent her here.

"Wow seems you have had your share of hardships." Charlotte said. "Have you called them yet?"

"No. I really don't know what I would say to him."

"What about your boys have you talked to them yet?"

"No. I really hurt them, and as much as I hate to say it, I didn't really think of them through this whole thing." Kirsten paused. "What kind of mother am I."

"I'm sure your a good mom, don't doubt yourself so much."

"Poor Ryan I'm going to have to think of something huge to regain his trust. I promised him when we adopted him that this family wouldn't be anything like his old one. Then I lashed out at him during the intervention and I ended up in rehab. I couldn't even promise him a better start."

"But look at how much he's grown since you adopted him. I'm sure he will forgive you."

"I hope so."

"Well instead of beating yourself up wondering, CALL THEM." Charlotte said getting her point across. "See how their all doing. Your boys and your husband."

"Yeah I probably should call them. I'll call them tonight." said Kirsten trying to get out of the awkwardness of the situation

"No Kirsten go call them now."

"Fine. You sure you don't mind?"

"No. Go."

"Ok, bye Charlotte. I'll see you at dinner." Kirsten said while walking back to her room.

Once there she picked up the phone scared at what was going to happen. She hadn't called home yet so she wasn't sure who would be upset with her and who would just be happy she finally called. She dialed the number and listened as it rang.

Ryan picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Hi. It's me."

"Kirsten? Hi how are you?"

"I'm ok. It's tough." she paused. "Look Ryan I'm really sorry for everything I said to you at the intervention."

"It's ok Kirsten. I'm just happy that your getting help."

"No it's not ok Ryan. I promised that when you became part of our family things would be different, and I didn't keep that promise."

"Kirsten you were more of a mom then my real mom ever was. Do you want to talk to Seth?"

"Yeah that would be great. Ryan I love you."

Ryan hesitated, not sure what to say back, but finally he said "Love you too Kirsten. Bye."

"Bye." In the background Kirsten could hear Ryan telling Seth that his mom was on the phone. SHe also heard Seth when he said that he doesn't want to talk to her. Finally after Ryan persuading Seth to talk to his mom Seth picked up the phone. "Hey sweetie." she said quietly.

"How's rehab?" asked Seth coldly.

"It's tough. How are you?"

"Well how would you be when everyone at school knows that your mom's a drunk." Seth said bluntly.

Kirsten didn't know what to say to that, Seths words stung her.

"You know mom, your such a hypocrite. How can you tell us over and over to never drink and drive, preach about how bad it is, and then turn around and do it yourself?" Seth yelled at her. "You know I really don't want to talk to you." He said as he hung up the phone.

Kirsten's eyes filled with tears as she looked at the phone listening to the dial tone. Yep it's official her son hated her.


	3. Chapter 3

Ok so this is just a quick post before both Ally and I leave for the weekend. :)

CynthiaB: I'm glad you liked it, hopefully you like this one as well.. and we'll try to get more about Charlottes background in there along the way!

OClover1: I'm glad you thought it rocked.. lol!

Kierens: I'm sorry you didn't like it.

Ansy Pansy aka Panz: I hope this is what you were looking for!

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After Kirsten finally hung up the phone after her disastorous phone call to home. She walked over to Charlotte's room to talk to her.

Charlotte heard the knock at her door and walked over to answer, "Hey!" she said when she saw Kirsten at the door.

"Hi, Can I talk to you?" asked Kirsten

"Of course. Come in." said Charlotte opening the door a little bit wider for Kirsten to enter.

"Well I did what you said and called my family."

"And." said Charlotte urging her to continue.

"My son officially hates me; he hung up on me." she said as her eyes welled up with tears. "What am I going to do? My family hates me, why am I even here?" she asked as the tears finally fell.

"I'm sure your family doesn't hate you. I'm sure your son is just upset with everything that's going on and this is way of dealing." said Charlotte trying to comfort Kirsten. "Did you talk to your husband?"

"No, I talked to Ryan and then Seth hung up on me. I didn't get the chance to talk to Sandy." said Kirsten as the tears started slowing down.

"I really think that you need to talk to Sandy." said Charlotte. "It just might make you feel better."

"Yeah maybe. I'm going to go back to my room, maybe lay down for a little bit." said Kirsten. "Bye."

A few days later Kirsten finally got around to calling Sandy. She was afraid that his reaction would be like Seth's. Kirsten just kept telling herself that he would just be happy that she called. She dialed the number and curled up in the chair as she listened to it ring.

"Hello?" asked Sandy.

Kirsten froze. Nothing

"Hello?" said Sandy more frustrated. Just as he was about to hang up he hears.

"Hi." Kirsten says meekly.

"Kirsten? Hey!" he says. Neither really knew what to say to keep the conversation moving. They both had changed in the month that Kirsten had been gone. Sandy learning how to live on his own again and Kirsten growing up.

"How are things going?" he asked after a moment of silence.

"Fine. I mean its rehab, but I met this girl Charlotte and we've became really good friends." Kirsten answered.

"It's good that your making friends. When you get out we should invite Charlotte over for dinner so the rest of us can meet her." said Sandy.

"How can you be so for sure that I will get out of here?"

"Because I know that you can beat this. Kirsten your the strongest woman I know; you need to believe in yourself."

"Some days I'm not so sure that I will ever get out of here."

"The doctor told me that once you face the fact that you have a problem the road to recovery goes quite a bit faster."

"It's not as easy as it sounds, but I've finally faced the fact that I'm a drunk. Dealing with it is going to be tough, I was a strong, independant woman that was in charge of everything, and now I'm here." said Kirsten getting upset.

Sandy could hear the pain in her voice, it was a step in the right direction that she was admitting it; but he knew he should be there to hold her in his arms while she worked through this. He finally said, "Honey, I love you so much and so do the boys. We just want you to get better so that we can have you back."

"I know I just hate not being there and now that Seth has basically voiced his hatred for me, I feel like I need to be there even more to show him that I'm not the failure that he thinks I am."

"Honey, your not a failure. Seth's just upset and confused. I'm so sorry that he took it out on you. But sweetie I have to get going, I promise that I'll talk to you soon. I love you." Sandy said hoping to hear those three words that meant the world to him, but haven't been heard in awhile.

"Yeah, you too." said Kirsten as she hung up.


	4. Chapter 4

Sorry about the length between updates. Ally and I both have been extremely busy!

Ansy Pansy aka Panz: It was close to an I love you, hopefully you'll like this.

CynthiaB: This is the first of hopefully many.. we'll see!

"Hey Kirsten." said Charlotte as she sat down at the table for lunch.

"Hi." said Kirsten not really looking up.

"Did you hear about family day?"

"Yeah."

"Aren't you excited your whole family gets to come for the day and it's more than just a visit."

"I don't think my family's going to come." said Kirsten as she moved the food around her plate not really eating it.

"Why do you say that?"

"So much has happened this last year. I only let them down; and last time I talked to them Seth hung up on me, Ryan said everything was ok and that he forgave me but I didn't really hear it in his voice, and things with Sandy didn't really go as planned."

"They'll come, trust me. They want to see you as much as you know you want to see them. Keep telling yourself you don't but I don't believe you and I know that deep down you know that they'll come because it's important to you!" said Charlotte with such confidence.

"Well I haven't even told them actually." said Kirsten still playing with her food.

"How are they going to come if you don't even tell them?"

"I dunno. I don't want to hear them pretend that they want to go."

"Tell them. Trust me." said Charlotte smiling. "Are you going to finish that?"

Kirsten decided that she should probebly call and tell her family about family day. Sandy finally picked up on the third ring. "Hello?" he asked out of breath.

"Hey! What were you doing?"

"Kirsten hey! I was outside."

"Ooh. How are things at home? How are the boys?"

"Everything's great, the boys are fine."

"Good, um, the reason I called is to ask you... tell you.. find out if you and the boys are free next saturday?" she asked stumbling over the sentance.

"I don't know if next saturday will work for us. Seth has sailing lessons, Ryan has soccer practice, and I have court. Why what's next saturday?"

"Ooh." said Kirsten heartbroken. "It's nothing just some thing that the center is having but don't worry about it. It's no big deal."

"What kind of thing?" asked Sandy.

"A family day. It's no big deal though really, don't break your plans to come. I have to go, talk to you later and tell the boys hi." said Kirsten as she hung up. She felt bad for hanging up on Sandy but she didn't want him to hear the dissapointment in her voice. He could read her like a book and that wasn't always a good thing. Kirsten decided that she was sick of sitting in her room so she went outside to see what the other patients were doing on such a beautiful day. Once she got outside she saw Charlotte sitting on a bench underneatch some palm trees. "Hey." said Kirsten sitting down beside her.

"Hey! How was the phone call home?" Charlotte asked.

"Not as good as I hoped. Their not coming." said Kirsten dissapointed.

"What do you mean their not coming!" asked Charlotte shocked.

"I mean their not coming. Sandy has court, Seth has sailing lessons, and Ryan has soccer practice." she answered softly.

"Oh." Charlotte said not knowing what to say.

Kirsten woke up the morning of the family day not wanting to get out of bed let alone go to the family picnic. With everyone excited because their families came to see how far they've come she would just end of depressed. There was a knock on her door. "Charlotte I'm not going." said Kirsten curling back up in her bed.

"Well if your not going then we should just go home."

Kirsten jumped out of bed and opened her door. "Sandy! Boys!"

"Hey!" said Sandy hugging her.

"What are you guys doing here, I thought you said you couldn't come?" she asked as she hugged Seth and then Ryan.

"Charlotte called us." said Sandy

"She did?"

"Yeah. She told us what this whole thing was about and how much it meant to you, so we cancelled all plans and came out to see you." said Sandy as he hugged her again.

"It's so great too see you guys. Thank you for coming." Kirsten was excited that her family came to see her and glad that Charlotte called them; she'd have to talk to her about that later.


End file.
